


Affection

by Aspidities



Series: Korrasami Week 2017 [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Cuddling, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Korrasami Week 2017, Mentions of Mako/Asami - Freeform, bed sharing, season one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2019-01-01 01:18:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12145452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aspidities/pseuds/Aspidities
Summary: My entry for Day 2: Affection of Korrasami Week 2017 :)This is yet another kinda-chaste, all-fluff, no-smut lovey-dovey one shot, set in Season One, just after Hiroshi's betrayal, when Asami moves to the Air Temple and has to spend her first night away from her childhood home. Affection takes many forms, but friendship is usually the first and simplest path, even when it leads to something more.





	Affection

The nighttime drop in temperature on Air Temple island was something Korra found pleasant. Chill breezes swelled from the sea water, brushing over the temple like the fingers of a frosty giant. For a girl raised in the South Pole, cold sea winds were indicators of good things: fishing seasons, penguinseal sledding, time to roam on Naga’s back across the frozen ice sheets. She enjoyed the tingle on her flesh, the raising of her hairs, the shivers, and since her blood ran hot, she liked to feel cold just before bed. For these reasons, she always took a long walk around the temple grounds in the evening, to collect her thoughts and smell the salt sea air.

Tonight there was a lot to think over. After they’d all returned from the warehouse and organized a shell-shocked Asami’s things into her new bedroom in the girls dorm, the group had all kind of drifted…each to their own rooms and their own private thoughts. Korra felt horrible guilt for what she’d revealed about Asami’s father, and a kind of revulsion at her simultaneous pride in being right, in following her instincts correctly, for once. The two emotions warred within her, and her shoulders were hunched as she wandered around the grounds, her jaw unknowingly clenched.

Rounding a corner, she was surprised from her internal anguish to come upon Mako and Asami standing beside the railing of the temple’s upper level, each dressed in nightwear, having some kind of intimate conversation. She felt a pang at the sight; neither had noticed her, and she wondered if she was about to interrupt their lover’s tryst, which would only add jealousy to the confusing roil of emotions within her. Mako was speaking in a low, urgent whisper to Asami’s ear, too quiet for her to hear, but Asami was shaking her head, loose dark hair catching the moonlight, and her face was stricken.

“Mako, _enough_.” She pleaded, her voice broken. “I can’t tonight….okay? It’s the last thing on my mind and you-“ She stopped as the moon’s shadow moved, revealing Korra shifting uncomfortably alongside a jasmine trestle. “Korra?”

Mako stepped back from Asami, revealing his black silk undershirt and boxers, probably a gift from the Sato coffers just before Hiroshi’s betrayal. The sight should have filled Korra with lust, and underneath her concern, there was a tiny flush of it, but just now, the idea of Mako wearing a gift from Asami was a distinctly difficult thought to bear.

Instead, she looked beyond him to the reason for her guilty feelings, wearing some kind of ridiculously slinky little purple and pink nightgown, covered by a thin robe edged in fur that appeared largely decorative, judging by the goose pimples dotting her bared arms, rising in the cold. And those weren’t the only things that had risen. Korra’s eyes darted unconsciously down to Asami’s chest, where her nipples were lifted prominently beneath the feminine cling of the fabric, and she had to jerk her head up, but her staring had been obvious: the taller girl folded her arms around her chest and looked away, blushing, as Korra did the same, feeling her cheeks burn with heat. _Oh great, like things weren’t awkward enough already._

Mako didn’t seem to notice the shared embarrassment between his girlfriend and his crush, but he wasn’t exactly happy to see Korra either. He put a hand on his neck, adapting the uncomfortable stance he usually put on while in the presence of something that made him feel anxious. “Hey Korra, we were just talking.”

“We’re done talking.” The clipped note in Asami’s voice made them both look back at her, and her face brooked no argument. She slipped her hand out and caught Korra’s, and the glance she shot her was slightly desperate. “Korra, can you show me the way back to the girl’s dormitory? Please?”

 _Save me_ , said her emerald eyes, and Korra knew she couldn’t resist. Mako was just going to have to finish his ‘talk’ later, which gave her a sadistic curl of pleasure in her deepest of dark thoughts. “Sure,” she responded, faux-cheerily, and tugged on Asami’s wrist to guide her away from the conversation. “I used to get lost a lot too, but I’ll show you the way. There’s a trick to it…”

She let her voice fade as they left Mako, staring impotently after them in the hallway, and rounded the bend. She should have felt a pang: Mako’s face was filled with regret and longing, but instead, she felt only concern for Asami. After all, the older girl had essentially disowned her only family today by shocking her father and bringing him down in a swirl of sparks. It couldn’t be easy. Once they were safely out of earshot, she made to drop Asami’s hand, but to her surprise, the fingers only tightened on her own, and the heiress smiled gratefully at her. “Thanks,” she said, green eyes deep with painful gratitude. “I just needed to get away from him.”

“Is he bothering you about your dad?” Korra questioned, feeling the sharp stab of guilt once more. “Because Asami, you should know, none of us wanted…”

“No, not about that.” The pale girl bit her lip. “Um. He wanted. Well. We haven’t ever. Um. And he thought tonight…” She broke in a rueful sigh. “I guess he thought tonight would be a perfect time to comfort me with sex.”

 _Oh_. Korra’s face immediately filled with red once more as she realized what she’d inadvertently interrupted. “That…uh…doesn’t seem very comforting. He should’ve known better.” She offered, careful to avoid expressing any of the jealousy, confusing lust and assorted guilt that she was feeling on a tidal wave of teenage emotions. “Mako cares, and he tries, but he sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, huh?”

“You’re not kidding.” Asami laughed dryly, and she slipped her hand up onto Korra’s arm, tucking into the crook of her elbow as naturally as anything, and the young Avatar was surprised by how good it felt to have that easy comfort, and to be able to offer it to this confident, intimidating other woman. Asami’s fingers were brushing the heavy curve of her breast, and that wasn’t lost on her, either. Technically, Asami was her romantic rival, right? So it should feel good to be escorting her away from Mako’s sexual advances, because she _certainly_ didn’t want them to consummate their relationship, or get the chance to do so under the temple roof, at any rate. And yet, the roots of her emotions seemed to be placed deeper, somewhere she couldn’t name, in a tangled forest of wild, tulmultuous attractions and confusing emotions. 

The woman she should hate had never, ever, treated her with disdain, even though it was obvious that the Sato girl was clearly the better choice for Mako’s affections: she was gorgeous, rich and absurdly intelligent, with a well-spoken grace that came to her as simply as breathing, whereas Korra was a rough-around-the-edges Tribe girl who still tripped over her own tongue when telling someone she liked them. How could she even compare? But Asami didn’t seem to be trying to compare them, despite Korra’s glum assessment. She’d all but gone out of her way to be welcoming to Korra, to make friends, and that attitude was something the young Southerner greatly admired, and could aspire to. Asami seemed better at being diplomatic than the Avatar, and it filled her with chagrin, given how determined she was to take Asami’s father down, to be right about him, to show Mako his trust in his new girlfriend was misplaced....but....

She cleared her throat as they approached Asami’s room: she and Korra shared a hallway, both being gifted with the largest, most well-appointed rooms, and the Avatar’s door was directly across. “Well…” Korra let her sentence dwindle, trying to look anywhere but at Asami, given her recent shameful thoughts. “I guess you should get some rest.”

“Wait.” Asami’s fingers gripped her arm, and the pull of her nails made Korra look directly into pleading green eyes, which undid her as easily as a silken knot; with one sharp tug. “Mako was wrong…but I still don’t want to be alone tonight. Do you think I can sleep with you?”

 _Oh Spirits, that might not be a good idea_. Korra swallowed. She didn’t know what she was feeling, but it was uncomfortable, and it was being prolonged by Asami’s delicately perfumed presence and warm fingertips. The sheer fabric of her nightgown gaped appealingly at the neck, and her skin was glowing in the soft light of the hall, seemingly calling out to be touched. Korra was mesmerized one moment, shaking herself awake the next. Being kind to Asami as a friend was one thing, being attracted to her...now _that_ was another. She did not want to process that particular tidbit of new information while in bed with the object of her sudden lust. Especially when said object was needing comfort from someone _not_ interested in sex with her.

Asami had noticed the furrow in her brow, and, heartbreakingly, clearly assumed Korra was unwelcome to the concept of sharing a bed with her, because she rushed to assuage any concerns. “Just for tonight? I’m sorry, I wouldn’t even ask, and I know you don’t even-“

But Korra cut her off before she could finish a sentence that was sounding suspiciously like it ended in ‘-like me’. She shook her head again to free it off her decidedly un-platonic thoughts, and reached out unconsciously to take Asami by the slender bones of her shoulders. “It’s okay,” she soothed, her thumbs stroking against the purple nightgown fabric without her full knowledge. “It’s totally okay, you can sleep with me. Don’t feel bad asking. We’re friends.” She tried a smile, and was relieved to see it landed well, but guilty memories quickly made her frown again. “Even if I am the kind of friend who makes you betray your dad.”

Asami sighed and the sound sent a painful jolt through Korra’s midsection. “I’m the kind of friend who has a dad that needs betraying, apparently. It’s okay, Korra, I don’t blame you.” She shifted and her hands curled around the taut muscles of the Avatar’s forearms. “You’re a good friend to me, the kind willing to tell me the truth, even if I don’t want to hear it. I haven’t had many friends like that, or many friends at all, actually.” The hard jade of Asami’s eyes softened. “That’s why it means so much that you still want me around, even after….”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Korra assured her, and her hand almost lifted to stroke the side of the other girl’s moonlit face, but she checked herself at the last moment and it fell awkwardly back to her shoulder, patting her there. “Of course I still want-I mean, of course we still want you around. You’re a part of Team Avatar now, no going back.”

Asami favored her with a smile that melted across her ribs and slipped between them into her heart like tiny, dripping blades. She stepped back, releasing her grip, and went for the door, taking a deep breath as the shoji screen slid open and Asami stepped into her room. Korra stumbled in behind her, sliding the screen closed once more, and gulping as she observed the Sato girl’s eyes sweep over her animal furs and Water Tribe décor. The room was lit by a single candle by the bed, and the lights from the city in the window.

“Where does Naga sleep?” Asami’s question broke the awkward silence.

“Usually with me, but sometimes she goes to the barn with the bison. I guess she must be there now.” Korra rubbed her neck, unconsciously mimicking Mako’s stance from earlier. “Um, you must be tired, huh?”

“I am,” Asami admitted, and she sat down on Korra’s bed, looking slightly uncomfortable. She looked out the window, rubbing her arms. “This is the first time I’ve slept anywhere other than the city. It’s colder here.”

“I actually kind of like it.” Korra confessed. “It reminds me of home.” She sat down next to the taller girl, feeling her skin prickle at the closeness. “So I guess we’re both missing somewhere else, in a way.”

“Yeah.” Asami agreed, absentmindedly. Her eyes were distant, looking across the bay to the twinkling golden gleam of Republic City, like a handful of jewels scattered on the dark velvet water. She shivered, and Korra was wracked in the desire to hold her close, to warm her, and give her the comfort she needed. The impulse was overwhelming, and at last, she gave in, drawing Asami to her with an arm around the older girl’s shoulders.

“Come here,” she said softly, aware of the tension fluttering and unfurling in her belly. “Let’s warm you up.”

She lifted the covers and leaned to blow out the candle. Asami slid underneath, obedient, and she followed, feeling dizzy with the rush of perfume that filled her nostrils. Korra lay flat, feeling stiff with unnamable, treacherous desires, but Asami did not allow her to dwell on them too long. She snuggled close, putting her head on Korra’s chest and letting her arms drift about the toned abs on the Avatar’s lower stomach. Korra tensed, instinctively, and Asami looked up, eyes rounded with concern. “Is this okay?”

“Yeah.” Her voice crackled, and she swallowed, trying again. “Get comfortable. I’m fine.”

“Really? Because you seem-“

“Asami.” The name left her lips sharper than she’d meant it to, and instant regret filled her as the older girl’s face darkened in shame. She sighed, feeling worse and she couldn’t let Asami feel badly for her own selfish reactions. “It’s really okay, I’m just…well…um…” She trailed off, feeling herself flush. May as well just say it. “Um. I guess I’m kinda having some interesting feelings. Because you’re really pretty. And I don’t want to be…uh...disrespectful because you need me to be a friend right now, so I…this may not be a good idea.” Her hands balled into sweaty fists on either side of her body, hovering away from Asami’s warm frame. She didn’t know what to do with them.

“Oh.” Asami’s voice was quiet, and for a moment she didn’t move. Then, tentatively, she shifted to look up at Korra once more. “I didn’t know you felt that way about me.”

“I didn’t either.” Korra confessed, feeling miserably tense beneath the warm weight of Asami on her chest. “It kind of…just started happening recently.”

“Do you want me to go?”

“Go? No, Asami, I want-“ She huffed, feeling impatient with her inability to express herself properly. “I just don’t want you to feel weird.” She finished, lamely. “You just came in here to sleep.”

“I don’t feel weird.” Asami’s words were almost as richly dark as her eyes, boring into Korra’s. She swallowed, her throat feeling dry, as the older girl’s fingers hesitantly came up to stroke a tendril of hair away from her face. “I feel flattered…and maybe a little confused…because I thought you liked Mako…but I don’t feel weird.”

“I _do_ like Mako,” Korra explained, flustered. “I mean, I know he’s your boyfriend but I do have a crush, I just….um….I’ve been thinking lately that I guess I don’t know what I want.”

“We don’t have to figure that out tonight.” Asami offered, her voice low. “I’m okay with whatever you want to do.”

“Stay,” Korra urged, suddenly feeling stupidly vulnerable. She put her arms up gently to pull Asami back down more fully onto her body. “I want you to stay. If that’s what would help you.”

“It would.” Asami’s words were muffled into her chest, and she wrapped her arms tighter around the slim form above her. Something was swelling inside, something she didn’t know how to categorize or control, but it felt so good to have the softness in her arms.

For a long time they lay, silent in the dark of the room, and for a moment Korra thought Asami had drifted off. Then, the engineer’s body shifted, and she slipped a leg between Korra’s tanned thighs, almost gingerly. The contact made Korra’s body sing, and she bit back a gasp. The warm weight of Asami on her body was both comforting and inflaming, with her hair crushed below Korra’s nose, releasing its heady scent, and her curved, elegant body with the impossible smoothness of her skin was a minefield of delectable places that brushed against Korra, each touch setting off explosive reactions. She made a split-second decision after what felt like a legion of different opinions, and lowered her arms from Asami’s back to her waist, letting their bodies entwine.

“This feels really nice. Thank you.” Asami said, after some time. She lifted her chin, and even in the dark, Korra could see her eyes shining. “Korra?”

“Hmmm?” She didn’t feel capable of words right now.

“Can I…” The other girl paused, and Korra could feel her anxiety build and release on a swift intake of breath. “Can I kiss you?”

 _Oh Spirits_.

In lieu of an answer, and instead of facing down the myriad of conflicting, confusing reasons for and against, she tugged gently on Asami’s black head and guided her roughly down, kissing her in an awkward, teeth-clashing tumble until they figured out where each other’s respective lips were, and the kiss softened. Something wet and warm flickered at her lips, seeking entrance, and she parted them to allow Asami’s velvet tongue to stroke inside, meeting her own. She moaned, enraptured, and for a blissful, endless moment there was nothing inside of her but sweet, headily-scented darkness and the heat of their mouths joining and parting, gasping together as they breathed each other’s air.

  
It felt like years before the kiss ended, and when it did, Korra was different, somehow. She’d changed. There was a heaviness in her chest that was pleasant and not unwelcome, and it didn’t come from Asami’s light weight hovering above her…or maybe it did, in a way. She stroked the sides of the other girl’s face, not surprised to find tears there. It was a lot, the intensity. On top of everything else, there was a wild, leaping flame, threatening to burn them both alive. She let her fingers still, and they clung together for long moments, tenderly clutching in the dark.

“Sorry,” Asami choked, after some time. “I…I don’t know why I’m crying.”

“’S’okay.” Korra murmured. “It’s a lot, right now. I get it. We don’t have to…Asami, I’m not asking anything of you.” _I’m not like Mako_ , her brain finished, and she felt a tinge of anxiety at the mental betrayal to her friend/erstwhile crush, but it was true. She wouldn’t ask Asami for anything more right now, in this time when nothing made sense, and she knew, in her heart of hearts, that maybe that knowledge of what Asami needed was more important than whatever lust or emotions lay between them in this bed.

“Can we just…” Asami seemed helpless, for once, and though Korra couldn’t see her face, the thought of her perfect brow crinkled in consternation made the young Avatar ache in sympathy. “Can we just lay here? Maybe kiss some more?”

The last bit was a hesitant, vulnerable plea, and one that Korra could not resist. “Of course,” she whispered back, laying her lips lightly on the porcelain cheek of the girl above her, to show her support. “Whatever you need. I’m here for you, Asami. As a friend or….or…anything. We can talk later, but tonight is about you.”

And with those words, something else shifted inside of her. Something big, and heavy like a boulder, rolling inexorably into her path. Her feelings for Mako were a rain of pebbles, stinging and bouncing through her thoughts, but this was something different, something more substantial, and it wasn’t going anywhere. The thought should have scared her, and later, when they weren’t laying silent in a bed, limbs entangled like letters in an envelope, maybe it would frighten her more. But for right now, with the night-blooming jasmine drifting in through the window and the lights of Republic City casting a multi-colored glow on their bodies, she didn’t feel afraid. She felt warm, and wrapped in the burgeoning grip of new heat, like the first embers on a bonfire. Tomorrow, that was the time for sussing out her feelings for Mako, and her fears about Amon. This, tonight…whatever it was, it was something unspoken, at least for now, but she knew it wasn’t going away, and she knew Asami was feeling it too.

Sometimes small affections, small comforts of the soul are simple enough to contain whole worlds, gravity binding tiny fragments together, until all that remains is the new galaxy of what you are now building, every time you look at the thing you will eventually love. 


End file.
